Lonicera nitida plant named ‘Briliame’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Lonicera nitida  cultivar is provided that is a mutation of the ‘Briloni’ cultivar (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,234). Distinctive yellow-green new foliage is formed that bears less yellow coloration than the ‘Briloni’ cultivar. A somewhat creeping growth habit is displayed. The foliage of the plant well resists burning when exposed to full sun. The unusual yellow-green foliage coloration combined with the other characteristics provides the horticultural industry with an distinctive ornamental plant for growing in pots or in the landscape.

Botanical/commercial classification: Lonicera nitida/Lonicera Plant.

Varietal denomination: cv. Briliame.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Loniceranitida, and hereafter is referred to by the cultivar name ‘Briliame’.Plants of this species sometimes are called Box Honeysuckle.

A single plant possessing the characteristics of the new cultivar wasdiscovered during July 2004 at Saint-Barthélémy d'Anjou, Maine et Loire,France while growing among a block of plants of the ‘Briloni’ cultivar(U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,234). The new cultivar of the present inventionis believed to be a spontaneous mutation of the ‘Briloni’ cultivar ofunknown causation. I was attracted to the new cultivar primarily becauseof its distinctive foliage coloration that differed from that of theparental cultivar. Had the plant of this new cultivar not beendiscovered and preserved it would have been lost to mankind.

It was found that the new Lonicera nitida plant displays the followingcombination of characteristics:

-   -   (a) forms attractive new foliage that well resists burning when        exposed to full sun and bears yellow-green coloration with less        yellow coloration than the ‘Briloni’ cultivar (U.S. Plant Pat.        No. 15,234),    -   (b) possesses a somewhat creeping growth habit, and    -   (c) provides attractive ornamentation.

The new cultivar of the present invention readily can be distinguishedfrom its parent ‘Briloni’ cultivar in view of the presence of lessyellow coloration on the new yellow-green foliage. Also, the newcultivar of the present invention can be readily distinguished from the‘Maigrün’ cultivar (non-patented in the United States) since the‘Maigrün’ cultivar generally exhibits greener foliage. Additionally, thenew cultivar of the present invention can be readily distinguished fromthe ‘Braggeen's Gold’ cultivar (non-patented in the United States) uponan inspection of the growth habit. More specifically, the growth habitof the ‘Baggeen's Gold’ cultivar is upright unlike the somewhat creepinggrowth habit of the new cultivar.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by the use of cuttings asperformed at Saint-Barthélémy d'Anjou, Maine et Loire, France, hasdemonstrated that the characteristics of the new cultivar are firmlyfixed and are retained through successive generations of asexualpropagation. Accordingly, the new cultivar can be asexually reproducedin a true-to-type manner.

The new cultivar well meets the needs of the horticultural industry andcan be used to provide attractive ornamentation when grown in pots or inthe landscape.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs depict typical plants of the new cultivarwhile being grown outdoors at Saint-Barthélémy d'Anjou, Maine et Loire,France, with color being shown as true as is reasonably possible incolor illustrations of this character. Such plants were approximatelythree years of age and had been asexually reproduced through the use ofcuttings.

FIG. 1 shows an overall view of a typical plant of the new cultivarwherein the somewhat creeping growth habit is apparent.

FIG. 2 shows a close view of the attractive yellow-green foliage of thenew cultivar.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The plants were approximately three years of age and were observedduring May when grown outdoors at Saint-Barthélémy d'Anjou, Maine etLoire, France. Such plants had been asexually reproduced by the use ofcuttings. Color terminology is with reference to the R.H.S. Colour Chartof The Royal Horticultural Society, London. Common color terms are to beaccorded their customary dictionary significance.

-   Origin: Spontaneous mutation of the ‘Briloni’ cultivar (U.S. Plant    Pat. No. 15,234).-   Plant:    -   -   Form.—Somewhat creeping.        -   Height.—Approximately 45 cm on average.        -   Width.—Approximately 60 cm on average.-   Branches:    -   -   Length.—Commonly approximately 50 to 60 cm on average.        -   Color.—Young Stems: on the upper surface near Greyed-Purple            Group 187A, and on the under surface near Yellow-Green Group            145A. Adult Wood: near Greyed-Green Group 197B.-   Foliage:    -   -   Shape.—Generally ovoid.        -   Length.—Approximately 1.8 cm on average.        -   Width.—Approximately 1.1 cm on average.        -   General appearance.—Dense and clear.        -   Color.—New Foliage: Upper Surface: Commonly near            Yellow-Green Group 144B toward the base, and near Yellow            Group 9A at the tip. Under Surface: Commonly near            Yellow-Green Group 144B toward the base, and near Yellow            Group 6B at the tip. Mature Foliage: Upper Surface: Commonly            near Green Group 137A. Under Surface: commonly near            Yellow-Green Group 146C.        -   Petiole.—Approximately 1.5 mm in length on average, smooth            on both surfaces, near Yellow-Green Group 144B in coloration            on the upper surface, and near Yellow-Green Group 144C on            the under surface.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Peduncle.—Commonly approximately1 mm in length and width,            and near Yellow-Green Group 144B in coloration.        -   Time of flowering.—May.        -   Bloom period.—Approximately three weeks on average.        -   Type.—Inconspicuous.        -   Size.—Approximately 5 mm in diameter.        -   Configuration.—Tubular, typical of the nitida species, and            commonly with 5 joined petals.        -   Texture.—Slightly granular petals.        -   Color.—On the upper surface near Green-Yellow Group 1D            commonly with a tiny spot of near Yellow Group 2C, and on            the under surface near Green-Yellow Group 1D.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Stamen.—Five in number, and arranged around the pistil.        -   Anthers.—Approximately 1 mm in size, and near Green-Yellow            Group 1D in coloration.        -   Filaments.—Approximately 9 mm in length on average, and near            Yellow Group 4C in coloration.        -   Pollen.—Near Yellow Group 4C in coloration.        -   Pistil.—One in number.        -   Styles.—Approximately 8 mm in length on average, and near            Yellow Group 4D in coloration.        -   Stigma.—Approximately 1 mm in size, and near Yellow Group 5C            in coloration.        -   Hips.—Generally smooth, substantially round, approximately 4            to 5 mm in diameter on average, and near Violet Group 88B in            coloration.        -   Receptacle.—Commonly approximately 1 mm in length and width,            and near Yellow-Green Group 144B in coloration.

During observations to date, no particular disease or pest problems havebeen encountered when growing the new cultivar of the present invention.

Plants of the new ‘Briliame’ cultivar have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possiblethat the phenotypic expression may vary somewhat with changes in lightintensity and duration, cultural practices, and other environmentalconditions.

1. A new and distinct Lonicera nitida plant that exhibits the followingcombination of characteristics: (a) forms attractive new foliage thatwell resists burning when exposed to full sun and bears yellow-greencoloration with less yellow coloration than the ‘Briloni’ cultivar (U.S.Plant Pat. No. 15,234), (b) possesses a somewhat creeping growth habit,and (c) provides attractive ornamentation; substantially as illustratedand described.